mchanzo oneshots (requests taken)

the boy from the forest

(Ps all the dialog in this is Japanese unless I make an exception while writing.)
(Also the story is set back in traditional japan)

Hanzo sat quietly on his favorite boulder a ways into the forest, an open book in his lap and an intense expression on his features. The air was peaceful, a pleasant warm breeze slowly drifting past and slowly moving the leaves of the trees. Hanzo was eight years old, but was surpassing his grade in school and was already training in advanced subjects. His five year old brother however, well lets say he wasn't as passionate about the different arts of learning.

Hanzo shifted his reading position to a more comfortable one, then heard a noise as he was getting back into his book. He closed the big book and listened more intently, especially because he knew there were creatures in the forest with him. He heard another noise similar to the first, so he put down his book on the boulder and slid own the rough surface.

Hanzo pulled his sling shot from his back pocket and readied it, aiming towards the ground until he had a target. He crept silently on the forest ground, nearing the noise. In front of him a shrub began to shake, as if something was inside struggling. He crept wearily up to the brush.

"Hello?" he asked simply, nearing the source of disruption. Just then a little boy rolled out of the shrub, clutching something in his small fists.

This boy looked to be about Hanzo's age, his skin coated in dirt and mud, and scratches littered his once smooth child complection. The thing he gripped stopped struggling. It was just then that little Hanzo realised the other boy had caught a bird, who was most likely just finding food on the ground. The new boy quickly stood and backed up slightly. A fearful look in his big eyes.

"Are you alright? Do you speak?" little Hanzo asked curiously.

"I-I do." the child answered, hiding the bird behind his back defensively.

"Why have you caught the bird?" Hanzo asked, immediately realizing he hadn't asked his new acquaintance their name.

"Food." the boy said, tone hostile as if hanzo would have wanted to take it. Hanzo was visibly taken a back.

"What your name? Where are your parents?" Hanzo had to ask the second one, he never got away from his parents for long, surely other parents were like that to.

"The names Jesse. And I ain't got parents." he replied, looking hurt. Had hanzo said something wrong?

The little boy brushed it off and turned back to the more pressing matter, why was the boy on his property? Why was he catching birds for food like an animal?

"I-I gotta go" Jesse confessed, his stomach making a terrible grumbling noise. If his clothes weren't so baggy Hanzo could probably see prominent bones through the boy's tan skin.

"Wait-" but before hanzo could finish interigating Jesse, he had darted off with the little bird.

Hanzo unloaded his slingshot and stored it back into his pocket, deciding it was time to go inside for the evening. He collected his forgotten book and headed to the path to his big home. His small arms swing slightly as he trudges down the path, the small dragon painted on his arm looked happy, but really his mother just wanted it to look that way to make Hanzo happy.

The boy got to the edge of the forest, and looked back one more time to see a small movement. As if someone was watching and ran before Hanzo could see. This made him suspicious, but he was broken from his thoughts by a yell from his mother on the porch. Hanzo walked away from the trees and headed towards his mom.

"Hanzo dear you were in the forest again. We have talked about this." his mother scolded.

"Yes mother." Hanzo agreed reluctantly, removing his sandals at the door and stepping into the house.